Happy Cinco De Mayo! I hope you enjoy a Taco Tuesday tonight, I will be enjoying a burrito bowl and with no plans and hopefully not working late so I can get some reading in tonight. After a couple of busy weeks and adjusting to the "new normal" I only finished four books last month. I did start three other books that just didn't capture my attention. With some of my nightly commitments shifting to summer mode this week I hope to get back into a reading stride on weeknights rather than mostly reading on the weekends. Here's what I read during April:
Styxx (Dark Hunter #22)
Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge.
As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s.
The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now. She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her.
But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.
Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it's your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul?
As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s.
The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now. She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her.
But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.
Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it's your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul?
I started Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series back when I was in high school. I took a break during college when I was swamped with classic literature and never really got back to the series. I have kept up with her other series The League if you enjoy sci-fi romance I would check out that series. The Dark Hunters if you have never heard of the series is a romance series with a lot of Greek and Atlantis mythology set in modern day. Each book involves one couple with an overall story of the Dark Hunters who fight against the Daimons (children of Apollo who are cursed to die at 21 unless they then start stealing human souls). Well, one of my quarantine goals was to read a book off my shelf so I decided to pick up the Dark-Hunter series by skipping about 2 books and reading Styxx. Kenyon (now Writing under McQueen) has a way of making you despise a character for years in her series and then she writes a book from their perspective and your views completely change (see Jullien in her League series) so I was excited to dig into this 800+ page story. This book is mostly set in the past as you truly uncover what happened to Acheron’s (Acheron is the mysterious main character in the series) spoiled twin brother. It’s filled with heartbreak but shows how a little kindness can be so impactful in a world of hatred, violence, and abuse. Now to get back to reading more in the series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Faced with the harsh reality that there are 25,000 more women than men in London, Katie's dating prospects are at an all-time low. While she's glad it's not a man's world anymore, it wouldn't hurt if there were more eligible bachelors.
More likely to get murdered than married, according to gleeful media reports, Katie resigns herself to the fact that there's no sex in the city for her and decides to head for the hills - or the Scottish Highlands to be exact. Despite the fact she's never been one for muddy rain boats - and Fairlish is in the middle of nowhere - the tiny town does have one major draw - men. LOTS of them!
But while Katie relishes the chance to do battle with armies of admirers, she's not excited about going head to head with her shady new boss, Harry. At least there's the local eye-candy to distract her, including gorgeous newshound Iain. But he is at loggerheads with Harry, and she can't afford to get on Harry's bad side anymore than she already has.
Life in the country might not be one big roll in the hay, but now that Katie has taken the plunge, can she ever turn her back on the delights of Fairlish and return to city life. . .?
A fun read that takes place in London and the Scottish highlands sounded perfect for a time when travel is off limits. This was a fun read about Katie, who works in PR and is getting disenchanted with London. She applies for a job in a remote town of Scotland and after arriving at the train station decides it's not for her and heads back to town. Well, lo and behold, her PR office assigns her a job with the forestry commission in the same remote town of Scotland. Harry at the commission isn’t a fan of her but needs help saving the forest from becoming developed into a golf course. A quick lighthearted read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.
The Naked Gentleman (Naked Nobility #6)
John Parker-Roth cannot believe that marriage is necessary for his happiness. He would far rather pursue his interest in horticulture, but if one day he should find a female who shared his passion for flowers—a level-headed, calm sort of female—he might reconsider. Certainly the lovely young woman who has just tumbled into his lap will not do, as she possesses neither of these admirable qualities.
Yet Miss Margaret Peterson does have many things in her favor. To begin with, she is a true English rose, blushing a delectable pink. And she is not entirely clothed. Her full mouth begs to be kissed. If only she would not wriggle so . . . oh, dear. He cannot ignore the sudden vision of her in his bed, but he must.
What? Is Meg actually asking him to kiss her? Well, well, well. John Parker-Roth is a gentleman, first and foremost. And he cannot turn down a lady’s request.. .
I read the majority of the Naked Nobility series a few years ago and this book finally was available from the digital library. The series is a cute romance series where at some point, someone will be found naked (or half-naked). This was a cute fun romance read with a very strong female protagonist. Margaret wants to marry for love and won't settle for anything less, until, she might have to marry to save her reputation. ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.
A Woman is No Man
In Brooklyn, eighteen-year-old Deya is starting to meet with suitors. Though she doesn’t want to get married, her grandparents give her no choice. History is repeating itself: Deya’s mother, Isra, also had no choice when she left Palestine as a teenager to marry Adam. Though Deya was raised to believe her parents died in a car accident, a secret note from a mysterious, yet familiar-looking woman makes Deya question everything she was told about her past. As the narrative alternates between the lives of Deya and Isra, she begins to understand the dark, complex secrets behind her community.
This was my book club's pick of the month and my only audiobook of the month. A Woman is No Man follows three generations in a conservative Palestinian community in Brooklyn, NY. It depicts the hopes and dreams of these women as they struggle within their cultural expectations and systematic oppression. It was a heartbreaking read and a reminder of the many privileges I have as a western white educated woman in America. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
What have you been reading lately?
I just started The Thousandth Floor which is a YA novel set in New York but it's 2118.
Best,
Where Have All the Boys Gone sounds like so much fun! I'd like to check out A Woman is No Man too.
ReplyDeleteWhere Have All The Boys Gone isn't one I usually gravitate towards but it sounds really cute. I have A Woman is No Man from BOTM last year and still need to read it.
ReplyDeleteMy reading life has been affected too. I've been drawn to lighter women's fiction and thrillers if I can find good ones. I'm currently re-reading The Hunger Games trilogy and it's really doing it for me!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. I've never read Where Have All the Boys Gone, but I do love books set in Europe.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
A Woman is No Man is super hard but an important read!
ReplyDeleteI never read the Jenny Colgan books.
Oh man. I used to LOVE the dark hunters series. I eventually fell off the band wagon because they got a little too formulaic for me, which can be a problem when you're late to series and you binge them. I don't think the formula would have bothered me if I wasn't reading them back-to-back. :D Now, I kinda want to deep my toe back in.
ReplyDeleteI've read a few Jenny Colgan books here and there. It's like a Hallmark movie in book form, for sure.
ReplyDeleteA Woman is No Man looked unnecessarily depressing to me when I read what it was about :/